Story Highlights

Sit-in against PM

Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is to hold a sit- in protest in capital city of Islamabad on November 2nd, where thousands of PTI supporters are expected to gather from all over the country to protest against the Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to step down and present himself for accountability in the wake of Panama Papers reports.

However the battle between PTI and the government seems to have already started as on Thursday, police and FC stormed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s youth convention and arrested several of party activists. Police and FC personnel baton-charged and took away PTI workers. PTI leaders have alleged that the government had arrested hundreds of their workers and police tortured the female workers. After the incident, PTI Chairman Imran Khan gave a call for countrywide protests against the police brutality. While addressing a press conference following the arrests of his workers, Khan warned the government that after the beating and arrest of party’s workers this movement will now take a different direction.

Meanwhile The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday barred Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) from locking down Islamabad and summoned party chief Imran Khan at the next hearing to explain his statements about paralysing the government. The court also barred the district administration from cordoning off roads by placing containers and other hurdles.

Meanwhile Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) chief Dr Tahirul Qadri accepted Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) request to take part in their November 2 ‘lockdown’ of Islamabad. Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) also vowed to join the protest with PTI if the demonstrators were subjected to violence.

Pak- India Relations

The relation between both the neighbours does not seem to improve. Ceasefire violations along the Line of Control and blame game are a routine between both the countries. In a latest incident, two civilians were killed while eight others got injured in firing by Indian army in the Chaprar Sector along the Working Boundary (WB). Pakistan Rangers also killed five Indian soldiers along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Bhimber Sector. Security sources said that six Pakistan civilians have so far been died, while 29 others received injuries due to unprovoked firing and shelling by Indian forces. Pakistan has again lodged a strong protest with India on the continued violation of the ceasefire agreement along the LoC and the Working Boundary. The director general of South Asia and SAARC on Wednesday summoned the Indian deputy high commissioner at the Foreign Office and lodged a strong protest over ceasefire violations. The Indian deputy high commissioner was also conveyed that Indian troops should refrain from intentionally targeting the villages, and maintain peace.

Meanwhile Pakistan on Thursday declared an Indian High Commission official as persona non-grata and asked him to leave the country within 48 hours. The decision comes hours after New Delhi announced it was expelling a Pakistani visa official for suspected spying. Police in New Delhi alleged that the Pakistani official had been recruiting Indian nationals for the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) in return for cash.Pakistan’s foreign secretary then summoned the Indian High Commissioner to say Islamabad would also be sending back a diplomat over alleged improper activities.

Pakistan’s High Commissioner Abdul Basit lodged a “strong protest” on Thursday with the Indian Foreign Ministry and said the detention of the official contravened diplomatic conventions. He asked the Indian government to ensure that such harassment does not happen in the future and strongly rejected accusations of the Indian government.

Police Academy Attacked

Security forces are once again on the target of terrorists. In what considered to be deadliest attack on a security installation in the country’s history, at least 61 people were killed in the city of Quetta in Balochistan.

Three masked gunmen burst into the academy, pretending to be soldiers as they targeted sleeping quarters, home to some 700 recruits. The attack on the Balochistan Police College began in the morning while it took army four hours to clear the area.

Security forces have blamed the attack on the Taliban- affiliated Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). Frontier Corps (FC) Inspector General Major General Sher Afgan said that communication intercepts showed the attack was carried out by Al-Alimi faction of the Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ). According to FC, all three terrorists were wearing suicide vests. Two suicide attackers blew themselves up, which resulted in casualties, while the third one was shot dead by troops.

An emailed claim from the Taliban claimed the responsibility who have strong ties with LeJ. The email claimed the attack was carried out to avenge the killing of their men who were killed in fake encounters outside jails in Punjab. The Islamic State group also made a claim via Amaq, its affiliated news agency, and released a picture of what it said were the three attackers.

The Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Army Chief General Raheel Sharif went to Quetta following the attack and visited injured at the hospital.